Monster under the bed.

3.

Paul sat in the back of the class, sucking on the inside of his cheek while 'listening' to the teacher when really he had his headphones in, blaring music as loud as he could get away with while he stared at his page which he was supposed to be taking notes on but really he was drawing.

He was drawing flowers, he'd gotten obsessed with flowers ever since Chris had left him that one that one night years ago when he had comforted Paul. Since then, Paul had never seen the monster but had felt his presence almost everywhere he went. It was like having a guardian angel although Paul supposed Chris was very far away from being an angel. Chris keeping up the habit of leaving Paul flowers whenever it was a special occasion or Paul was upset. Paul found it cute. 

Still, despite Chris' comforting presence, high-school had been a nightmare for him. Everyone judged him based on his brothers actions and it didn't help that his brothers acted like absolute slime-balls. Paul tried to treat everyone with respect, at the cost of meals and laying on his back comfortably. 

The bell rang and Paul shoved his sketchbook deep into his backpack before heading off outside, starting to walk home before his brothers could find, follow and annoy the shit out of him. 

Walking down a path through the forest, Paul slowly felt more and more uneasy and just as he turned to check if someone was following him, he was slammed against a tree, blade at his throat, making Paul go pale as he struggled against the boys holding him. 

"Well well Riviera" The boy, Leonel, snarled and Paul tried not to swallow too heavily. Afraid that if he did, the blade would cut his throat and that would be the end.

"We've been waiting for this" Leonel growled, "Your fucking slime-ball brothers are next, you're just a warning" 

"Like they'd care if I died" Paul grit out, kicking his legs against the larger boy holding him, Paul thought his name may have been Morgan, the boy was holding him tightly against the tree and Paul's bag had been thrown onto the forest floor, Leonel kneeling and starting to root through it. Paul paled when the boy found his sketchbook and flipped it open, laughing shrilly at the pressed pink flowers and flower drawings. 

"That's cute" Morgan said, "Paul's got a little date" 

"Who's giving you these flowers Riviera?" Leonel asked, dangling the sketchbook in front of him and Paul shook his head, 

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"  Paul shouted and Leonel scowled, 

"Fine, don't tell us..." He said, dragging the blade down Paul's chest and making the pale skin slice open, a river of red trickling down and Paul panicked, yelling out the first thing that came to mind, 

"CHRIS!!!" He screamed and the presence turned menacing, it made a shiver run up Paul's spine and the whole forest seemed to go dark. 

Morgan was thrown off of him and Leonel screamed, Paul looking at the hand holding the knife and squeaking in terror as he watched a single jagged cut run down the length of Leonel's arm and then the knife was flung out of his hand, embedding itself in a tree and then Leonel was tossed beside Morgan like a ragdoll. 

Chris became visible and Paul almost choked on how hostile the air seemed. Chris didn't look remotely human anymore, Paul couldn't see what he looked like, it hurt to stare directly at Chris. 

Chris growled, a sound that seemed to echo and rumble through the whole forest and Leonel and Morgan stared at Chris, terror written across their faces before Chris roared so loud it made Paul's ears ring and he clamped his hands over his ears, watching as Leonel and Morgan scrambled to their feet and ran off back in the direction of the school. 

Paul slowly removed his hands from his ears, staring at the direction the two boys had run, flinching hard when he felt a hand grab his arm, 

"It's just me" Chris said in his soothing voice and Paul felt his eyes prick with tears, looking up at the monster who looked more human now, smiling warmly and reassuringly at Paul who choked on a sob and lunged at Chris, hugging him tightly. 

Chris hesitated but wrapped his long arms around Paul who buried his face into Chris' chest. Chris didn't smell very pleasant but to Paul it was the nicest smell he'd ever encountered. 

"You came" Paul choked, "You helped" 

"Of course I did, I'll always come when you call" Chris said and stroked Paul's white hair gently, "I'm your protector". 

The two stood there a while longer, hugging tightly as Paul calmed down and then Chris pulled away, putting a hand over Paul's cut and then taking it away, the cut being healed miraculously. 

"Thank you..." Paul sniffled, he didn't feel embarrassed showing this much emotion in front of Chris or even scared, he trusted the monster. 

"Of course" Chris said, "you should get home...we both should get home" 

"No...No please don't make me go back!" Paul cried and Chris cupped his face gently, rubbing his thumbs on Paul's cheeks, 

"You have to go back darling" Chris said softly and Paul shook his head, 

"No, please, please take me with you!" 

"I can't...you're young, you don't know what you're saying. You have a whole life to live" 

Paul just sobbed again and stared up at Chris with watery eyes, the monsters dark eyes staring into his before he sighed and nodded, 

"I'll take you with me...when you're older" 

"Thank you..." Paul said softly and Chris smiled at him, 

"Be safe my darling" Chris said and gently kissed Paul's forehead, the teen closing his eyes and feeling a soft breeze surround him and when he opened his eyes again, Chris was gone. 

Grabbing his bag, Paul headed home, ignoring his families questions as to where he'd been and heading to his room, opening the door and smiling when he saw what was on his side table. 

It was a pink tulip and beside it laid Leonel's knife.